Looking for answers to life's questions

I am not always good at solving puzzles. I don’t “do” puzzles for fun. A sewing pattern or quilting directions are puzzle enough for me. If I buy box furniture that has to be assembled, I call my sister. She has a better spatial sense and reads directions better.

It all together and in place.

My sister thought it was fun to put it together

My son, “Tech Support” was here for 10 days to attend a couple of graduation parties and to deal with what was left behind last winter that was too heavy for his rental truck before the management decided to write a complaint. The have been across the street every day since my neighbors back yard started disappearing down the creek. That means they are looking down my driveway. So far they have been distracted.

We started that weekend with a community wide yard sale. Last year on this weekend it was 100 degrees and nothing sold. This year it was 60 and raining. I managed to sell my dining room table and chairs. None of his stuff sold so it all had to be moved.

It was too big and heavy-looking so it finally sold to a neighbor.

My son has excellent skills with puzzles and they were seriously tested this week. They didn’t test him, they tested my ability to watch him put this puzzle together with confidence. I didn’t get nearly enough photos of the progress. To save money on fuel, my son drove his small car instead of a friend’s bigger pick-up truck from his home in Arizona. It doesn’t tow much weight and he had a lot of heavy steel to tow. Rental trailers were heavy and expensive.

He actually reads and understands the directions!

So then comes the brilliant idea to buy a trailer. I suggested we take my Suburban to fit the box in the back with more ease. Tech Supports eyes got big. “I thought they came all put together.” When I expressed doubt, he made a phone call. Sure enough, it came in a box to be put together at home. He had one day to put it together and one day to get it loaded before his long drive back. Tools had to be purchased and of course there were hitches that didn’t quite fit, lights that were broken and wiring that needed to be done. When I needed a trailer, I rented one, let them hook it to my hitch and drive away.

His sister is pretty good with puzzles too but mostly offered moral support and maybe a hand once in a while.

I was greatly surprised at the lack of blue words coming off the driveway as this puzzle was systematically put together. Many trips were made for replacement parts and other tools. I’m an old woman. I have very few tools here. The extent of my help was to hold onto things, hand others and feed the machine that figured everything out. I must admit, I shook my head a lot thinking this tiny trailer was never going to hold all that weight.

We started with it upside down, added wheels then flipped it over.

Can I tell you how impressed I was that Tech Support got this puzzle solved and everything loaded by 10 p.m. his last night here? We were up very early to load up clean laundry and snacks along with other miscellaneous items that had been previously left behind. I fully expected a call if he got as far as the top of our hill saying that the tires had popped. Instead there were the calls to report that he was sitting in standstill traffic and finally the one I most wanted. He had made his two day driving destination into California to attend the memorial service for his step-father. He won’t be alone on the last leg of his trip to Arizona so I can retire my worry beads and get some much needed rest.

Nothing moved as it was all quite heavy. He had the car packed heavy too.

It was cold and wet in Oregon, baking hot in California

How are you at following the directions that come with products? Are you a fan of puzzles?

“Sometimes the hardest pieces of a puzzle to assemble, are the ones missing from the box.”~ Dixie Waters

Related

Comments on: "The Puzzle" (86)

Many years ago when the kids were young I was good at following the directions and putting things together – once put a rocking horse together for my son….but nowadays I have no patience, and no strength to manage. I am blessed to have my youngest son living in the apartment downstairs and his ability to come up and put things together for me….so I will leave these things for the young to do…..crossword puzzles are the only ones I can still do!

I am not a fan of puzzles either, Marlene! Whenever I must follow directions to assemble anything, I rely on the words rather than the diagrams. My husband uses the diagrams, rather than the words. Together we have assembled several things from IKEA, but it’s always a challenge for me. So relieved that this ‘puzzle’ had a happy ending for both you and Tech Support! Hope you can take a bit of time to relax now! Happy weekend! ♡

Thank you, Dawn. I think I get in too much of a hurry and read things that aren’t there and miss what is. My sister and daughter do the building from IKEA. I do the heavy lifting and fetch and carry. I can’t tell you how surprised I am that tiny trailer held all that weight and made it so far without incident. Hope you are having a relaxing weekend as well. 🙂

I’ve written about my love of jigsaw puzzles, Marlene. I loved them as a child and now as an adult, I could spend hours searching for the perfect piece to make that connection. Of course, I don’t have hours, but when I find myself feeling anxious and unable to sit still, taking a seat in front of my puzzle, always calms my mind and keeps me still for a while. Derek and I each always have a puzzle going on our dining room table. I hope you’re able to get some rest. Enjoy the weekend!
By the way, can you email me at authorjillweatherholt@gmail.com? I have something I’d like to mail to you, if you’re comfortable with me having your address. I promise, I’m not a stalker! 🙂

Oh, Jill!! You make me laugh! I know you are not a stalker. I know your heart and it is good and kind. 🙂 I love the look of puzzles but can’t tell one piece from the other. I do needlework when I need that quiet calm. Even in school very early there were always notes that Marlene does not follow directions well. They scramble in my brain. I am so grateful my children had better brains and figure out complex things so much easier. My skill comes in thinking ahead and knowing that the trailer was going to come in a box. 🙂 Thanks for stopping by.

Marlene, I can almost here you sighing from here. What a relief to have the last of the items safely off your property and back with your son in Arizona. I know you’re breathing a sigh of relief. I’m not very good at reading (and deciphering) put-it-together puzzles, but I do like jigsaw puzzles. Like Jill, above, I find them relaxing and almost addictive once I get going on one. My dad was a big puzzle guy and my sister Sharon and I followed suit. I’m directionally challenged, and I’m always confusing left and right. Even at 57 it doesn’t come naturally.

I’m glad you sold your table and chairs, but wish you could have had better weather. What a shocking difference in weather year over year. It’s scorching here. I finally had a non-working weekend to shop for some plants, but bloody h**l it’s in the high 90’s. We had to abandon our cart temporarily, then go back to finish. They wouldn’t put the plants on hold, so we just left the loaded cart in a corner and came back to find that all was still there. Nothing’s getting planted today and unless we are up super early tomorrow, nothing then as well. Weird, weird, weird weather. Hugs xo

I’ve put the mattress on the free list and still have to get help to lift the drill press into the shed and a few other items are going to the thrift store. Yes there is a huge sigh that there will be nothing for them to look at here soon by Monday. It’s funny, I also have problems with left and right but rarely get lost. We didn’t have puzzles growing up so had no experience with them. I think that’s why I have so many “toys” now. 🙂 My son is at the memorial today. My heart is heavy today. He gave me reports on the heat all the way down to S. Calif. He left here cold and ended up melting. Where he lives in Arizona it’s not so hot. The altitude helps. I’m sorry you are dealing with all that heat. I’m sure we get that heat soon enough and there will be no where to hide. I usually have to garden at 5-6 a.m. in summer. Good luck with the planting.

I’m surprised that the drill press didn’t sell. That sounds like a tool a lot of DIYers would like. A friend told me that she put a ladder at the curb with a free sign and it sat there for a week. Then she added a $10 sign and it disappeared. LOL I hope the memorial service was a good release for all involved. Was it something you considered attending, Marlene, or just too much time and water under the bridge. It’s so hard. I’m happy to hear that they live above the heat in Arizona. I was up at 5:30 today, outside taking pictures and doing a couple of things. Spring and summer are really my best times in the garden, but the summer chores are still there: the limited hand-watering, weed-pulling, pruning, picking and the like. My compost bin needs turning but not in this heat. Sending gentle hugs to you and your children over this difficult loss. xo

Somehow, through shear force of will, I got that drill press into the shed. It weighs hundreds of pounds and is an antique almost. It was apparently his dads. So I will save it for his to come back and get the next time. I would have loved to go to the Memorial but the step children wanted me away and have no kindness in their hearts for me so it was not something my son wanted me to be subjected to. He only went to support his Ex. My son was never happy at how I was treated by those I gave so much of myself. They treated my daughter as badly. I’ve learned some very valuable lessons there. I’ll be outside at sunrise this morning to water and then walk. Nap midday and then sew while the heat bakes the outside. 3 days of 90’s and above. Next week, company. 🙂 Thank you for you kind and gentle hugs, They are much needed and appreciated.

My heart goes out to you, Marlene. I can’t think of anything sadder then loving and caring for someone that rejects you or is cruel to you out of hand. It’s of course their issue, but its clearly hurt you. I think blended families are a challenge even in the most functional of settings. I’m finally have a week of relative calm to catch up on things. It feels good. Love to you, Marlene. I wish I could deliver this hug in person. Enjoy your company!

I enjoy a good puzzle Marlene. I play Sudoku, do cryptic crosswords – though that last quite rarely these days as blogging takes up that time now ……. I’m quite practically inclined and can assemble straight forward items easily – I put together all the storage cubbies in the art room and other areas of my flat. My youngest daughter is even more practical and is my consultant when things get a bit too complex for me – that and high places as I’ve lost confidence balancing on the top of ladders in recent years. The trailer looks hideously hard to assemble – too many different components for me! I am impressed with his expertise and the fact that it got to the other end of the country without mishap.

I have to tell you I love that dining room set that sold. I would have bought it and (gasp) distressed the wood parts and loved it 🙂 Is that a kind of greenhouse/potting shed affair you are having put up in the beginning of the post? If so it is a jolly good idea! I’m a bit sad to see your weather, it looks like mine was last summer. I hope it gets better for you – the vitamin D is necessary for good health!!

I read this early today and am just getting back here. Why are the days getting longer and my energy shorter? 😉 I can do simple things too. Put together a couple of bookcases but my sister absolutely LOVES doing these things so I allow her to enjoy feeling useful and needed. 🙂 That was a little greenhouse that my son found quite inexpensively. My sister had a ball with it. I liked the table as well but the chairs were not that comfortable and my place was just too small. it would have rusted outside. I had it up for sale for months before someone (next door) bought it. It was so very heavy. We got plenty of vitamin D today and more for the rest of the summer. The heat is here! We basked in it’s glory today. There will probably be a rare rain shower between now and December. We don’t get the rain when we need it. 😦 I honestly don’t know how my son put that thing together and never lost his temper at it. Tail lights came broken and had to be replaced quickly. I’m glad you stay off of ladders too. I never go up unless someone is with me and then only a couple of steps. We don’t bounce as well as we used to bounce when we were young. 🙂 My daughter loves Sudoku too. I can do no crossword puzzles either. Getting back my words was a tough hill to climb and I’m finding more all the time. The writing has helped the most. Here’s to vitamin D! 😉

I dearly love a puzzle! I am this household’s designated flat-pack assembler, I have built my own flat-pack kitchen as well as endless pieces of furniture, book cases and garage storage units. The Husband *can* do it, but lacks patience and prefers not to read instructions unless first threatened with torture. I too am impressed at Tech Support’s expertise, as I don’t normally go anywhere near wiring issues. I’ve packed a trailer and ute (pickup) tray to move from one side of the country to the other, but it took me a good bit longer than a day, particularly because I was on my own and had no helpful Marlene-type gofer. It’s hard, tiring and yet another form of puzzle assembly. I’m glad your son got home safely after all that hard work.

I used to enjoy puzzles but once assembled I don’t like the look of the joined pieces enough to display as art so the puzzle ends up back in the box. Because it’s a journey that ends up being taken apart I don’t have the patience any more to work puzzles. Much prefer cross stitch or something that is useful when completed.

Now as for assembling things. I read the directions, see what pieces, such as which screws go where, and then toss the directions and assemble the piece my way. When it’s a piece of furniture by the time I’ve assembled it according to the directions I can’t stand it up because it’s too heavy.

I’m glad Tech Support was able to get his things out of your yard before management saw them and gave you a hassle about it.

No one does yard sales around here anymore. They all list things on Facebook buy and sell groups individually. While I don’t need anything I do miss seeing yard sales when out. Do you have another dining set for your house now that you sold the one?

I’m with you on the puzzles I’d rather do an embroidery and have something to show for my time. I can assemble some things but the directions always confuse me. I won’t be doing another yard sale. I only had a new sewing machine out there but will try to sell it on Craigslist. So far, no bites. I do have another smaller table and chair set that I also bought really cheap with the house. It was in the kitchen but it’s really to big for that tiny area. So I moved it to the dining room since it’s smaller than the other table. I moved here with none and wound up with 2. Tried to sell that table for the last 2 years and TS was going to take it but had no room again. So off it went to the only bidder. It’s opened the space up quite nicely. More stuff will be going. As for someone to help lift stuff, my sister was always helpful in that department. Not sure how much longer that will happen. The pulmonary fibrosis is rearing it ugly head. My daughter has no strength either.

How nice to have a table inherited with the house you liked. My boys are strong but the women in their lives not so much and I’ve never been what one could call strong although I tried to fake it for years. 🙂

Good luck with Craigslist. I’m too far out for anyone to want to drive to pick things up so I’ve had to let go of that as an income stream.

Not having any luck with Craigslist here either. It’s like no one is spending any money. Especially not me. I bought the tables that the previous owner had for sale after I bought the house. The price was $85 for each set. I couldn’t get them at the thrift store for that price. The one I sold had the most uncomfortable chairs but my son loved them. He has no place for them either. As for your strength, it’s not in your muscles, it’s in your character. You are one of the strongest people I know and I have the deepest admiration for you. You inspire me.

Well that looks like it all worked out well Marlene. Good job all around! I actually rather enjoy the putting together parts of things like furniture. I guess I have better spatial ability than I thought. It’s mostly the stress on my joints that interferes so I often have younger hands do the nailing or screwing while I give the orders 🙂
As I have gotten older I find I enjoy the challenge of figuring things out… most of the time!

Ha ha, Deb. I like the idea of letting younger hands putting things together. I can do some things but this tinker toy set looked like a giant mind boggle. I even have trouble with quilting directions. Sigh,. Thanks for stopping by.

I love the pictures on the puzzle boxes but not the putting together of them only to have to take them apart again. Putting a bookcase or something like that I enjoy more if the directions are clear. It’s like a dress pattern or a quilt pattern. Some are easier than others. My kids like putting things together more than I do. What kinds of puzzles are your favorite?

There are puzzle and then there are puzzles–I like the ones I can do in a comfortable chair! Putting furniture together–hate that! The directions are usually so awful and it’s when my husband and I have our biggest . . . tensions. It’s nice that you’re getting some of the extra stuff out of your world and very good that your son’s travels have been manageable!

Thanks for stopping by, Kerry. I do needlework or writing in my chair. That’s my puzzle. I just hand things to the person putting things together. They get to do it wrong as many times as they want. I have the car full again of stuff to get rid of at thrift stores. It just has to go. It was very good news that the trailer with all his stuff made it out of the driveway and then out of the state. My place is small with very little storage that I already have filled up. I’ve got some good stuff for sale. 🙂 🙂 Want some of it?

Puzzles are fun, both the put-it-together kind and the recreational ones. I’ve always loved doing crossword puzzles, but can only do them well in German. I once assembled an elliptical, starting with lots of tiny pieces and screws. It took a while, but felt great once I finished and got to use it!
I’m glad your driveway is cleared out and your house is yours again too!
Enjoy! 😊

I can’t do crosswords either. Too much brain damage as a child. I have put some odd pieces that were fairly simple together. I tend to find others that excel at the puzzle thing. The kid is a whiz bang at it, obviously.

I’m with you, Marlene! I’m not a puzzle person. Quite frankly, they totally overwhelm me. However, my hubby and kids love them. In fact, my 11 year old grandson can solve a Rubiks cube like it’s nothing at all. So, I’ll surround myself with those who can figure those things out. I’ll stick to writing, cooking and creating. Have a great week!

So Enjoyed reading this Marlene.. 🙂 and wonderful to know everything came together when it needed to.. And that dinning room table and chairs, your neighbour is a lucky person to purchase such a lovely set of furniture..
Sounds like your weather too is up and down.. At the moment we are in the midst of a heatwave and it was 32 degs C on our back garden yesterday..
Sorry for the delay in getting back to you Marlene.. I just had to get away from the News, media, and PC for the total of the weekend.. and turned everything off.. Even my hubby who is normally a news addict, said he had enough.. And we had a lovely weekend with family as it was Father’s Day yesterday..
And we finished it off last night with our granddaughters Dance presentation where she gained another two silver medals with honours for her Latin and Ballroom.. She started dancing when she was 3 and half.. and now at 6 amazes us how she remembers so many dance steps to various dances.. 🙂
I am gradually working my way back into WP, as this weather is too good to miss,..
Hope all is well with you Marlene.. and good to hear you put your worry beads down for a time..
I hope all is working out well with any plans you have for your own future security my friend..
I so thank you for sending Irene your thoughts and prayers and I send you mine in the hope all things work out well for your own security needs my friend..
Love and Mega Hugs your way
Sue ❤ xxx ❤

You do know that I tape the news and watch in fast forward with the sound off. Then I can stop if it’s something I need to know about or something to learn. It saves my nervous system. You are wise to take some time away. No need to apologize. We all understand. Often having to do the same. Grandchildren are such a blessing for those of you that have them. Relax and enjoy, my friend. Hugs.

You make me laugh, Linda. I’m with you 100%. It’s great that there are people willing to do them. I don’t have time for puzzles and not enough lifetime to get something like that trailer together. I’m glad he was able to do it without too much frustration. It’s kind of like trying to figure out what’s wrong with a piece of machinery. Thank you for your kind thoughts and prayers. They are very much welcome.

Haaa…I have a husby who loves to tinker and put things together. I’m the “tech support” person in the household, so we make a good team. But it looks like your son figured out the trailer with no problems (other than scratching his head a few times). 🙂
I hope that he gets back to Arizona safe and sound and that your worry beads can stay put away. Sending you hugs! xo

He arrived in Arizona this afternoon safe and sound. Phew. He has a good mind for that sort of thing where my talents lay somewhere else. 🙂 My last husband was exceedingly good at mechanical things. Terrible at technical things, It’s good you have a hubby that balances you out. That helps so much.

I love puzzles! All sorts, from physically putting things together to solving a “how do I . . .” sort of thing. Even figuring out where the knitting/crochet pattern is wrong. I don’t think it’s very teachable; from what I’ve read over the years, it’s a strength that we are born with, or not. so don’t worry; it sounds as though you have people in your life who are good at puzzle-solving. That’s a great thing to have. 🙂

I love that little trailer; it looks as though it needs a tiny home attached to it. I’m good ayt fitting the maximum into a small space, too, after years of moving and of putting things in storage. (finding them again isn’t always as easy, of course).

I’m sure you are glad to have your driveway cleared before the ‘cops’ got around to speaking with you. So I’m glad for you there.

Is that a wee greenhouse that your sister assembled? It looks great for starting plants and then maybe housing some tomatoes and cukes. I gave away most of my furniture so that I could hang on to my crafting supplies. Have to have priorities, you know . . .

I’m glad your son made it safely to California. I do hope the day of the service wasn’t too difficult for you. I can only imagine . . .

I hope that you are finding some answers to your own puzzle: “How do I make an adequate life on reduced means?” I’m mulling over that same puzzle myself and if/when I come up with more ideas, I’ll be happy to share with you.

J > I’m a technical kind of guy, so if there’s one thing that earns my respect it’s an instruction leaflet that is brief, accurate, detailed, and anticipates likely misunderstandings or mistakes. So not a lot of respect for assembly instructions! What really drives me mad are those supposedly global/universal instructions that contain no words – just illustrations and symbols. Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaagh! ;~)

My son said I should take up writing directions because so many are so totally awful and impossible to follow. He had better ability to follow directions than I have. Thanks so much for stopping by. I was impressed that the trailer made the 1800 mile trip without falling apart.

I like the challenge of puzzles and even the look of the jigsaw type spread all over the table. It can be time well spent. It depends on my patience level as to whether I’ll sit for a while and work them. Directions for putting something together can often prove more frustrating than not, like when you’ve worked at it for a time only to discover a piece is missing. I guess that proves one must read the directions fully before starting. Ah, there is that patience thingy again….

Glad you were able to sell some of your things, and that your son got the rest of his stuff, too. Is that a mini-greenhouse up there? How fun! ❤

Thanks for stopping by, Karenlee. That is a mini greenhouse. I was trying to winter over my porch plants but it didn’t quite work out. We had a colder winter this year so I will have to add a light next winter. My sister loved putting it together. I’ve never had the patience for puzzles but I like to try and put things together. I hate when the directions are ambiguous or steps are missing. Happens more in sewing and crafting patterns than it should.

I tried to post a comment when you first posted this one but it would not let me. Musta been a glitch. I weeded all of our raised beds yesterday and it looks so much better. Now I need to finish planting the marigolds I grew from seed. I LOVE this time of year, especially early mornings. Let us know how it goes with the greenhouse. Looks like fun. Thinking ahead to our hot day Sunday…it’s supposed to hit 101 I heard. YIKES. Stay cool! 🙂

Something ate my marigolds. ;( I’ve had lots of glitches lately but WP did fix some of them. I’ll be outside at daybreak to water and walk. 90 today, 99 tomorrow and the same on Sunday. I’ll be the puddle in the middle of the room. Hope you find a way to stay cool as well.

I hiked up our hill this morning at 6. Does that count. 🙂 Heat stroke left me with an inability to cool myself down. I’m up at 4 in the summer to do my work that requires movement or outside. After that, you will find me sitting right here. Enjoy to warm. 🙂

YES, it counts. 🙂 I wake early as well, but it’s OK since I’m now retired. The husband has woken me early for years when he gets up for his early bird swim. I now sleep through that, but still am up early. Best time of the day. 🙂 ❤

I was quite happy to see the table and chairs go. They were VERY heavy and I did not want to bring them back inside. 😉 It’s good to have a spouse that is the opposite in some ways to balance things out. You are fortunate to have him around. Thanks for stopping by.

Buzz buzz buzz, always a busy bee! I’m sorry to hear your poor neighbours yard is still falling into a creek. How scary to think you may loose what you work to own. I hope it turns out ok. That was a good idea to have a neighbourhood yard sale. My experience is, they’re so much work and people who do come want things for nothing. I’m happy you were able to sell your dinette. Will you buy something else or re-imagine the newly empty space for something else? A sewing space? I’m in Vancouver right now and walked into a really cute quilting shop on Granville Island, of course of thought of you xo Boomdee

Glad to see you stop by for a visit. Miss you. My neighbor bought another house up the street and hers will be moved off and her son will have it placed on a private piece of land and rent it out. She didn’t want to leave the park. I had another smaller dinette that I also bought with the house that suits me much better and is more comfortable to sit in. It is much less cluttered here now. I love visiting quilt shops and thank you for thinking of me. Have to try hard to stay out of them because I always end up bringing home one more project that needs then to be completed. My list is already endless. If I have to live until they are all done, I will live two lifetimes. I had not planned on doing a yard sale but the kid was here and had hoped to sell rather than move stuff. He still left a bit behind for the next trip. I just have no storage space…left. Crafts and fabric take every square inch. 😉

So you’re surrounded by things you love….no harm in that 😀 ‘the kid’ ha! so funny and endearing. I think his leave behinds are planned so he can come home and see your happy face. We’re planning our day in Vancouver and it looks sunny. Hope your day is too! love and hugs xo K/P/B 😀

Thank you for thinking of me, Sue. Yes, all is well. Taking advantage of the cooler weather to work outside a bit before company comes this weekend. Hope you are getting a respite as well. Giant hugs, M

Dear Marlene, I have tried to visit you so many times and now at last I have managed and have read through your most recent posts backwards, up to the one about the sad loss of your last husband and financial worries. I haven’t ‘liked’ as I wanted to just read them all and comment here. I feel I have so much I want to say to you that I could write a small book…ha, you know me, I could talk the hind leg off a donkey as we say here 😉
My heart is overflowing with gratitude for your friendship and kindness to me, when I have managed only 5 posts this entire year, a very difficult and challenging year, in fact since last year after Mum’s stroke and losing my dad and so much else, when I haven’t been able to visit you through your troubles, of which I am so very sorry, yet there you are, visiting me and reaching out and offering your always kindness, encouragement and support.
I am so so happy that you found such an amazing response in your hour of need from friends and neighbours, on and offline, and family, and you are now finding ways to press on. You are one of the most giving people I know and you deserve all the help you can get.
But…my heart also lies heavy with you…I had hoped my ex and I could have remained friends. It’s actually his birthday today. He moved from CA to Oregon last year, but we have not spoken for 2 years. I always made sure the kids sent him a Father’s Day and birthday card, but since he has not kept in touch with them, they have now stopped. He hasn’t been in touch and this year has been absolutely horrendous for my youngest who now faces surgery for gallbladder removal ontop of the anxiety and depression and all the other struggles. So…it seems it is not to be. It makes me sad, we were married 22 years and had three children together…
And then of course, coming up on July 17 is the one year anniversary of losing my dad. We have yet to scatter his ashes, my brother seems reticent to want to talk to me about it and despite saying he would keep in better touch with me and mum since losing dad, his contact is even more sparse. We are close and love each other very much…but, for me, his distance is another loss. So, like you, I am so very grateful for my grown children and their love and support for me and each other. How wonderful you finally got the trailer up and running, and yes, these things make for great puzzles. I actually enjoy them, weirdly. But I’ve done a few upside down attempts, more than once, ha! So sorry to hear of your neighbour’s garden slipping away…yikes. Is that because of all the rainfall? What a difference a year makes! I remember you having that heatwave last year. We had our own here a couple of weeks ago, it was sweltering, and we’re not geared for it. Now it’s back to rain and grey but still humid. Nothing like your east coast, but heavy and stormy nonetheless.
In all of this, I send you my deepest condolences for you and your family in your sad loss. You face a new chapter in your life Marlene, I hope that when you turn the page you will find blessings in places you least expected them and that you always have love and care of family and friends.
I will disappear again because that house move I told you about months ago is happening and I am overwhelmed to say the least. I can’t see returning before the autumn as I so much want to press on with my memoir too, after the move, so think I need to do that first. I will pop in as I can to see how things are going for you, even if I don’t leave a footprint. You are very dear to me. God bless you and my love and prayers are with you my dear friend… Sherri ❤

I read and re-read this and copied it to Word in large print so I didn’t miss a word. Thank you so much for your condolences. Not many understand that a long history together means you are tied to a person forever. I met this man in 1978! That’s how much history we have and were married 24 years. I will plant something in the memory garden for him. Maybe next to the lilac bush for my children’s father. I’m 3 years into this place and essentially, still moving in, so I understand. It’s not as easy as when we were young. Life is in session and I will flow with it. There are blessing in every event if we look for them. The neighbors back yard did get washed away by all the rain we had this year. She has moved out and moved into another place up the street. This house will be moved off the lot when the ground is stable enough and her son is putting it on a private lot he has bought and renting it out. She did not want to leave the park. It’s understandable. When you are overwhelmed, and I am also, some things just have to go on the back burner. Keep in touch with us when you can and take care of yourself first. Giant squishy hugs to sustain you in all of this. Feel free to come back for more. 🙂

Ha! See, I told you I wrote a book! Thank you for giving me the room here to do that! I do indeed understand and the meaning of that kind of history. My ex and I have known each other since 1979 when we were still teenagers and married 22 years, so not far behind you…you can’t erase those years and all that was shared no matter how bad things got at one point. And he wasn’t the devil. Heck, we all screw up and and life overtakes us before we can even blink sometimes. But there it is. What a lovely idea to plant something in your garden in his memory and lovely to have your lilac bush for your children’s father too. You have inspired me to plant something special in my new garden after we move in honour of my dad… Oh I’m so sorry to hear that about your neighbour, glad she has a son who can help her out like that, but a shame she had to leave the park. I hope you are safe my friend. And yes, it is overwhelming…we both know that the actual moving part is merely the beginning…arrrrgh!! But, one day at a time and I will indeed take all the giant squishy hugs from you that I can, I feel their sustenance already and I know I can come back for more anytime I like and/or can. Bless you my friend…I will see you as soon as can, and in the meantime, know I am keeping you in my prayers…much love and hugging squishly right back 😉 🙂 ❤

Yikes…you’ve beaten me there Marlene! That is a lot of moves! I totted up and came up with 18 for me…and I thought that was a lot!!! Phew my friend…I so hope you’re done with moving too! Will email after this with a test… 🙂 xoxo

Thank you, Sherri. This home is a really big deal for me. It’s the first home I’ve pick out my self and purchased by myself. It’s my first set of roots and they will go as deep as time allows. 🙂 This house had the numerology fir spiritual growth so I knew I was in the right place. 🙂 I’ll be thinking of you and your move. No envy here.

You inspire me dear Marlene to hold to that day when I can put down those same kind of roots. It is a wonderful blessing to know you are in indeed in the right place and I am so very happy for you. What a great feeling that must have been. I am so looking foward to arriving at mine 🙂

My goodness, your comments sections read like books. What a beautiful community you have surrounded yourself with, my friend. So glad to hear TS took some more stuff off your hands and that he is safely in AZ again. I do know you wanted to be part of that memorial and I know you needed to honor his memory somehow. I hope you have found a way to have your own personal memorial, or are thinking of a way to do that. Much love. ❤ ❤

It is an impressive comment section. We are writing letters to each other. You are all more than just readers to me. Everyone that stops by has been a visitor to my life and I’m always so happy for the visit. I’d like to go back to each post and copy all the comments to keep. It is almost like a book. The kindness out there is just incredible. It amazes me that many are afraid of the internet. I’ve drawn in nothing but wonderful people here.

I grieved as soon as I left and continued through the ex’s death. We had a few words between us then and I wished him a safe and happy journey with love. I’ll buy another plant for the memory garden soon. That’s what works best for me. Have a great 4th weekend.